How to Make Waterproofing With Beeswax

Written by clare edwards| 13/05/2017

Beeswax is used as an ingredient in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals as well. (honigbienen als bauarbeiter image by Heinz Waldukat from Fotolia.com)

Beeswax is an all-natural product that you can combine with other substances to make your own waterproofing for leather and other fabrics. Beeswax is hard, so you often need to mix it with something softer and more liquid, such as vegetable oil. Use a double boiler to melt your ingredients --- for most recipes, the mixture shouldn't boil. Once your waterproofing is ready, you can apply it to warm shoes or other clothing. Just be sure the item you are waterproofing doesn't have a special finish that might be damaged.

Things you need

Double boiler

Scales

Petroleum jelly

Essential oil such as lavender (optional)

Soft cloth

Rosin (resin)

Measuring jug

Olive oil or other vegetable oil

Iron

Saucepan

Pure soap

Alum (sodium aluminium sulphate)

Ensure your double boiler is clean and free from debris. Place 28.4gr. of beeswax and 227gr. of petroleum jelly in the double boiler.

Heat the ingredients until liquid. Don't allow them to boil. Stir until all the ingredients are completely mixed. Add a drop or two of essential oil for fragrance, if desired.

Apply the mixture generously to warm leather using a soft cloth. Stand the treated item in a warm place --- preferably in hot sunshine. Leave the mixture on for an hour or two to penetrate the leather, then polish away any excess with a cloth.

Weigh out 113gr. of rosin and 113gr. of beeswax, and measure 1 pt. of olive oil or other vegetable oil.

Place all the ingredients in a clean double boiler. Melt and stir them together, making sure they don't boil.

Apply the mixture while it's warm to warm leather using a soft cloth. Polish away any excess.

Heat up a clean, dry iron.

Rub a chunk of beeswax over the warm iron.

Iron the fabric, adding a little more wax now and again so it's evenly applied. Don't use steam.

Weigh out 113gr. of beeswax, 28.4gr. of soap and 170gr. of alum. Place these into a saucepan with 1 qt. of water.

Boil everything together for 10 minutes, making sure the beeswax is completely melted. Add a drop of essential oil (optional).

Dip the paper into the hot mixture. Hang it up to dry.

Tips

Rosin is a kind of resin. You can find it in music stores. You can find alum in the spice section in the grocery store.